1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a negative electrode for a lithium battery, a lithium battery including the same, and methods of manufacture thereof. The negative electrode provides improved stability and improved charging and discharging characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lithium batteries are used in portable electronic devices for mobile communication, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, notebook computers, electric bicycles, or electric vehicles, and have a discharge voltage more than twice that of aqueous batteries, and thus, have high energy density.
Lithium-ion batteries, which include a carbonaceous (e.g., graphitic) negative electrode material, produce electrical energy from oxidation and reduction reactions which occur when lithium ions are intercalated into or deintercalated from a positive electrode and a negative electrode, each of which includes an active material that can intercalate and deintercalate the lithium ions.
A negative electrode including lithium metal or a lithium alloy as a negative electrode material can have 10 times greater specific capacity than graphite, and due to such a high capacity, much research into lithium metal and lithium alloys has been conducted. However, when lithium metal or a lithium alloy are used in a negative electrode, a solid electrolyte interface (SEI, i.e., a solid electrolyte interphase) is formed due to a chemical reaction between an electrolyte and lithium metal or the lithium alloy during charging, and many lithium dendrites are formed, thereby reducing charging and discharging efficiency and potentially causing shorting to a positive electrode.
Accordingly, there remains a need to develop a negative electrode with improved stability and improved charging and discharging characteristics, and a lithium battery including the negative electrode.